BackgroundPlacements are a core component of learning within speech and language therapy (SLT) undergraduate and postgraduate university programmes. They facilitate the development of students’ professional and clinical competencies and socialization into the profession. It is indicated that an optimal environment for placement learning often pivots on the mentoring, supervision and feedback the student receives.AimsTo explore the perspectives of student SLTs in the Republic of Ireland in relation to factors that would best support their learning and competency development on placement.Methods & ProceduresQualitative data were collected from an anonymous online student survey that consisted of eight open‐ended questions. Thematic analysis was applied to the data. Excerpts from the data were selected to illustrate the themes constructed.Outcomes & ResultsA total of 117 students responded. Four salient themes were generated that capture the students’ perspectives of an optimal environment for placement learning and competency development.Conclusions & ImplicationsThis study supports quality assurance within the practice education of student SLTs and highlights aspects of an optimal learning environment that practice educators can strive to develop. In parallel, this study points to the need for improved supports from university personnel and placement site managers, and an increased need for student preparedness and self‐reflection. Implications for continuing professional development specific to the role of a practice educator is described, in addition to the recommendation of an expanded perspective of supervision within SLT.What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subject Placements are an integral component of SLT undergraduate and postgraduate university programmes that enable students to translate theory to practice. Placement involves a transition from structured and predictable learning of the classroom to more dynamic learning environment within the placement site. Assessment of placement is carried out by practice educators using competency assessment tools. An optimal environment for placement learning often pivots on the mentoring, supervision and feedback that the student receives from their practice educator.What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study explores student SLTs’ voices in relation to what they consider an optimal environment for placement learning should be and what they believe may best support them in their journey to develop their clinical competencies. It supports quality assurance of the practice education of our future colleagues.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? The findings of this enquiry emphasize the distinction between competence as a SLT and competence as a practice educator and have subsequent implications for the content of continuing professional development for practice educators. In particular, an expanded perspective of the models and frameworks of supervision to promote and implement within the practice education of SLT students is presented.

Difficulties encountered with deans' letters have prompted residency directors to rely on performance indicators, including class rank, that indicate the comparative positions of applicants. However, the validity of class rank as a predictor of performance in residency is not well established. The present investigation studied the relationship of class ranks to residents' performances, the systems of class ranking that correlated with residents' performances, and procedures that strengthened the relationship between ranking information and residents' performances. Three systems of class ranking are described. With each system, the authors used the same study group of 124 graduates (classes of 1986 and 1987) from a midwestern medical school with a baccalaureate-M.D. degree program; by 1991, each graduate had completed his or her first year of residency. All three systems were reliable for assignment of class rank. All three systems showed modest correlations with residents' performances. Multiple regression analysis revealed that a weighted combination of clinical performance measures bore the strongest relationship to performances in residency. Thus, the authors conclude that the formal computational ranking of students is not essential for the generation of reliable and valid deans' letters that can predict residents' performances. An in-depth evaluation that includes comparative information based on statistically generated formulas, as well as information based on personal qualities, may be a superior alternative.

No abstract

The aim of this evaluation was to explore practice educators’ and speech and language therapy (SLT) students’ experiences of a rapid response telehealth placement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform quality improvement. In March 2020, public health restrictions were imposed across Ireland in efforts to ‘flatten the curve’ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All placements were cancelled. According to an Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists survey in April 2020, 47% of SLTs were redeployed to swabbing and contact tracing roles, and many remain redeployed seven months later. This redeployment, along with strict public health measures in clinical sites, significantly reduced the availability of clinical placements. A rapid response was required to enable students to develop clinical competencies. Although telehealth has been used to deliver speech and language therapy in other countries, it had not been used routinely in service provision in Ireland. In this article, we outline how we built on existing partnerships with practice educators, both on- and off-site, to design a much-needed telehealth placement. We explored educators’ and students’ experiences using an online focus group and online survey respectively. The evaluations of practice educators were positive in that despite their initial apprehension, they reported that this placement provided valuable learning opportunities for students while also providing benefits for clients. They also reported some technological and sustainability challenges. The students also evaluated this placement positively with 83.3% of respondents rating the placement as ‘excellent ‘and 16.7% rating it as ‘good’. All stakeholders valued this learning experience.

No abstract